Indicator light assembly

ABSTRACT

An indicator light assembly comprising a method of attaching the leads of a bulb to a terminal through the use of an arced connector portion formed in the terminal which is pressed down on the leads tightly engaging them to the terminal.

United States Patent Murray Oct. 17, 1972 [54] INDICATOR LIGHT ASSEMBLY2,826,680 3/1958 Cline ..240/8.l6. 72 I t I R be" M N dh M 3,246,3204/1966 Houbolt ..240/8.16 X I 1 ee am ass 3,286,255 11/1966 Sanchez..240/2.1x [73] AssIgnee: TRW Inc., Cleveland, Ohio 2,783,447 2/l957Watts ..339/276R [221 May 17, 1 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS PP ,12024,085 I 1/1900 Great Britain ..339/276T Primary Examiner-Joseph FPeters, Jr. 52 US. Cl. ..240/52.1, 240 l5l, 339 276 E Int Cl H0" 5/10 onIO/8 F21, 13/00 Attorney-Ph1hp E. Parker, Gordon Needleman,

James R. O'Connor and Hall & Houghton [58] Field of Search ..240/2.l,8.16,l5l,152,l53,

240/52 R, 52.1; 339/277 R, 276 R, 276 T [57] ABSTRACT [56] ReferencesCited I An indicator light assembly comprising a method of I A attachingthe leads of a bulb to a terminal through the UNITED STATES PATENTS useof an arced connector portion formed in the terminal which is presseddown on the leads tightly en- 3,516,087 6/1970 Rueger ..240/8.16 Xgaging them to the terminaL 3,125,706 3/1964 Long ..339/276 R 3,434,1373/ 1969 Rueger ..240/8.16 X 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDw 11I912 3,699,328

INVENTOR ROBERT T. MURRAY mm Viaaa wnma ATTORNEY INDICATOR LIGHTASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION '1. Field of the Invention The useof a neon glow lamp as a means of illumination in an indicator lightassembly permits direct engagement 'of the leads of the lamp with theterminals. In this case there is no need of lamp supporting structuresuch as a socket or the like. One of the difficulties of engaging thelamp leads to the terminal is that the attachments are individuallymade, which is a costly and time consuming process.

- tachment. In some cases, the terminal had a hold formed in it throughwhich the lead from the bulb was passed and then bent into the loop witha soldering operation'completing the assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed at an indicatorlight assembly having a unique method of attaching the leads of a bulbto a blade terminal.

An object of the present invention is to provide a blade terminal havinga bowed connector portion sheared therefrom through which the leads fromthe bulb are passed, the bowed connector portion being pressed intoengagement with the leads.

Another object of the present invention is to'provide a holder inserthaving a protuberance which is engageable by a pair of tangs shearedfrom the terminals.

Another object of the present invention is to provide holes on the shearlines which form the bowed portion thereby creating release areasthrough which the leads protrude when the bowed portion is pressed intoengagement therewith, preventing the leads from being sheared by theedges of the bowed portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view of anindicator utilizing the new fastening concept;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a blade terminal;

FIG. 3 is a perspective of the blade terminal shown in FIG. 2; I

FIG. 4 is a perspective of the blade terminal attached to a lead; 4

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a section showing the attachment of the tabs to theprotuberance of the separator portion.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the holder insert showing the relationship ofthe holes to the flange.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings there is shownan indicator light assembly comprising a cylindrical housing 10, aholder insert 12 a pair of blade terminals 14, a bulb 16 with two leads18 extending therefrom and a resistor 20 which is connected to one oftheleads l8 and which has a conductor 22 extending from it.

The housing 10 includes a tubular wall open at one end and closed off atthe other by an arced cap portion or lens 24. Spaced longitudinal slotsare formed on each side of the tubular wall providing flexibleengagement ribs 26 in opposed relation to each other. The ex.- ternalsurface of the engagement rib 26 has converging and diverging portionsdefining a knuckle therebetween. A pair of opposedsquare holes-28 areformed in close proximity to the other open end of the housing 10. Thecap portion 24 overhangs the area defined by the tubular wall providinga shoulder 30.

The holder insert 12 comprises a flat, rectangular terminal separatorportion 32 having an arced flange 34 extending from each side atapproximately the midpoint thereof. Each of the flanges 34 has arectangular slot 36 formed therethrough which opens into a cavitydefined by an arced wall 38 extending from the flange 34 and theseparator portion 32. Longitudinal slits are made on each side of thewall 38 allowing a portion of it to flex away from the separator portion32. A protuberance 40 extends upwardly from the separator portion 32 atthe entrance to the cavity remote from the flange 34. An ear 42 extendsfrom each side edge of the separator portion 32.

The blade terminal 14 is generally rectangular in configuration and hasa bowed connector portion 44 sheared from the body thereof in closeproximity to one terminal end. The sheared slits which form the bowedportion 44 each having a semi-circular hole 46 formed at their midpoint.A semi-circular hole 47 is formed on each side edge of the bowedconnector portion 44. Two tabs 48 are sheared in spaced relation to eachother from the blade terminal 14 extending on the opposite side of theblade terminal 41 from the bowed portion 44, are bent upward and havetheir free terminal ends 50 facing each other.

To engage the holder insert 12 with the blade terminal 14 the operatorholds the end of the terminal 14 having the bowed portion 44 and pushesthe terminal I into the cavity formed by the wall 38, over theprotuberance 40 and out the slot 36. The first of the tabs 48 rides overthe protuberance 40 and snaps behind it trapping it between the freeterminal ends 50 0f the tabs 48. A, blade terminal 14 can thus be lockedinto engagement with the holder insert on each side of the separatorportion 32.

The lead 18 and the conductor 22 are passed on each side of theseparator portion 32 and underneath the bowed portion 44. A tool such asa pair of special pliers is used to press both the bowedportions44simultaneously toward their respective terminals 14pushing'portions of the leadsl8 and the'conductor 22 into thesemi-circular holes Y46 and 47 thereby preventing the edges of the bowedportions 44 from shearing them. Automatic equipment can be used toinsert the blade terminals 14 into the holder insert 12 as well asengage the lead 18 and conductor 22 with the bowed portions 44. 1

The assembly of the holder insert 12, the blade terminals 14, the bulbl6 and the resistor 20 is passed into the housing 10 bulb first untilthe ears 42 engage the square holes 28. This engagement places theflange 34 into abutting relation with the edge of the open end of thehousing and positions thelamp 16 in relation to the cap portion 24, Thetotal assembly can be engaged to an apertured support by engaging theengagement ribs 26 with the edge of the aperture and the shoulder 30withthe surface adjacent theaperture.

With reference to the foregoing description it is to be understood thatwhat has been disclosed herein 7 represents an. embodiment of theinvention and is to be construed as illustrative rather than restrictivein nature and that the invention is best described by the followingclaims;

I claim: I t

1. An indicator light assembly comprising a housing, a lamp having apair of leads, aholder insert and a pair of terminals, each of theterminals having a bowed connector portion, the leads positioned underthe bowed connector portion,'the holder insert including a separatorportion, the separator portion having a flange extending from each side,the flange having an aperture formed therethrough, and a portion of theterminals passed through the aperture, and the separator portion havinga protuberance formed on each side thereof, spaced from the flange and apair'of tabs formed from the terminals, the tabs having free terminalends in spaced opposed relation to each other the tabs engaging theprotuberance.

2. An indicator light assembly comprising a housing,

' and the bowed portion fixed in abutting position with the leads andthe terminals associatedwith the holder insert.

1. An indicator light assembly comprising a housing, a lamp having apair of leads, a holder insert and a pair of terminals, each of theterminals having a bowed connector portion, the leads positioned underthe bowed connector portion, The holder insert including a separatorportion, the separator portion having a flange extending from each side,the flange having an aperture formed therethrough, and a portion of theterminals passed through the aperture, and the separator portion havinga protuberance formed on each side thereof, spaced from the flange and apair of tabs formed from the terminals, the tabs having free terminalends in spaced opposed relation to each other, the tabs engaging theprotuberance.
 2. An indicator light assembly comprising a housing, alamp having a pair of leads, a holder insert and a pair of terminals,each of the terminals having a bowed portion extending upward from abase, the base having a front edge, the bowed portion having a forwardedge in close proximity to the front edge, both the front edge andforward edge having notches formed therein, the leads positioned overthe notch formed on the forward edge and under the notch on the frontedge of the bowed portion, the lamp positioned within the housing andthe bowed portion fixed in abutting position with the leads and theterminals associated with the holder insert.